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Teen Nutrition for Fall Sports

Fall is a great season for stop-and-go sports such as soccer, football and basketball. Your teen athlete needs power for quick, strong moves and endurance for practices and games. But how do you make sure that your active teen gets the necessary nutrients to fuel both? Here are four nutrition tips to keep in mind.

Carbs Are King

Carbohydrates are the most important fuel for an athlete. Carbs are stored as fuel inside muscles and athletes need full carbohydrate stores before activity. Carbs are also needed after a workout to get ready for the next day's events. Carbs are the only fuel that can be used for power moves — a slam dunk, a sprint to the goal line or an overhead smash all need carbohydrates.

Eat a light snack before practice (especially if your teen has an early lunch period), such as half of a turkey sandwich or an orange and string cheese, along with 1 to 2 cups of water.

After practice or a game, refuel with a sports drink or low-fat chocolate milk, a banana and a handful of trail mix.

Build Muscle with Protein from Foods

Eat real food and shun expensive protein supplements. Muscles can get all the protein they need from foods!